Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater Speaker Wire Makes a Difference!

I recently upgraded my office system with a pair of Onkyo M282 2 channel amps for a 5.1 channel system (4 x M22 type Michaura M55 speakers, Dahlquist 15" subwoofer). I use an Axiom made Merak MC6H center channel speaker with 2x6.5" drivers and a great big horn tweeter. A few months ago, on a whim, I picked up a Radio Shack Super Tweeter which is connected to the center channel's speaker posts along with the speaker cable between the center speaker and the receiver.

The ~12 gauge speaker wire I was using was too thick to leave room for the super tweeter's connection. I got some cheap thin speaker wire from RS and lost much of the slam and depth that I previously enjoyed. I know those who know better will laugh at this, but the difference was quite noticeable to me.

I just received a single strand of Mapleshade's Clearview Golden Helix speaker wire (their cheapest wire). I've been playing music in the background all day. Tonight I watched NYPD Blue. I enjoy the energy of that show's bumper music. Last week it sounded dull and disappointing due ot the lousy RS speaker wire. Tonight it was wonderful. Alive, energized, full, fast and enjoyable.

I've been working late and listening to the space music channel on my digital cable service (Soundscapes). There is an enormous improvement over the cheap RS speaker wire and even over the thick undistinguished stuff I was using before.

I'd elaborate except I'd rather not hear the guffaws from chesseroo, etc., about how there can't be a difference and how I'm either kidding you all, or just myself. I'll just say that the highs are better, the mids are better and the lows are better, as are anything in between. Air, clarity, sweetness, more realistic and pleasant sound reproduction.

Looking forward to trying some DVD Audio discs, regular CDs, and some movie DVDs.

If anyone hasn't tried Mapleshade's weird, wonderful and modestly priced speaker wire, do yourself a favor and consider trying it out!

I do not have any interest in Mapleshade or any other audio venture, producer, marketer, publisher, etc. I'm an audio consumer, a junky for modestly priced stuff which I hope will far outperform its pricetag, you know, like Axiom's speakers.

2x6,

You're a brave soul for going down this road again.

As per usual, one principle still stands:

blind test

By your description, your impression of the cable swapping was anything but a unbiased attempt at listening for differences.

YOU hear a difference, great. Enjoy your system.

IS there really a difference?
I doubt it.

Note this particular line that even describes your brain break-in time before you hear a wonderful difference:
"...single strand of Mapleshade's Clearview Golden Helix speaker wire (their cheapest wire). I've been playing music in the background all day....Tonight it was wonderful. Alive, energized, full, fast and enjoyable."
Did the cable not sound that way when you first connected it?
Did you A/B the cables without switching them yourself or knowing what channel had which cables hooked up?

Come on 2x6spds.
If you are going to keep pushing that tired old opinion, at least try testing all these materials in an honest way.
Newbies on these forums look at posts like yours and go wasting huge amounts of cash for nothing, sold on mass marketing advertising, scientific jargon and biased consumer reviews.
That is why i continue to reply to such unvalidated, fallacious statements about the amazing sound changes.
Maybe a visit to Axiom and the NRC labs for some real blind testing would be a fun vacation.
Why is it so hard to believe in the human hearing science that has already been done?

You say that you bought "thin" wire from RS to replace 12 guage wire? How thin was it? Was it of like kind of the previous wire? I don't think anyone here would argue with you that in general, higher guage wires decrease sound quality when comparing like kind wires. I think the only argument would be that one brand costing several hundred dollars/ft. with fancy craftsmenship (being equal guage and material) makes such a difference.

I didn't try to fool myself by conducting a one man double blind test.

I had the music on low in the background during the day, because I was working and taking phone calls. During the evening, I could turn the volume up a bit. At 10 PM I kicked back and watched NYPD Blue. It's one of the shows I try to catch every week.

I am familiar with the bumper music for NYPD Blue and know when it is well or poorly reproduced. The difference I look for is percussive slam, and soundstage width. Didn't have it with the RS cable, does with the Mapleshade.

I'd love to visit the NRC labs and conduct a real double blind test.

You've visited the NRC labs and conducted a real double blind test to demonstrate that "Speaker DOES NOT Make a Difference," right? Why not tell us about it.

Hello SonicFox

The thick speaker wire I used was braided copper, I think about 12 gauge with transparent insulation. The thin Radio Shack wire is the copper in black and red insulation stuff on a spool. Can't find the spool to tell you exactly how thin but I'd say about 18 gauge. The Mapleshade is weird, really thin wire, I mean really thin! Insulation is supposed to be 2/10,000" thick. The cost is not hundreds of dollars a foot, but rather $5/foot.

I think spending thousands of dollars on cabling would be a bit whacky.

$5 a foot! What a bargain! It would only cost me $300 to run that stuff to my qs8s. And the difference will be night and day compared to the 12 gauge copper I'm currently using, right?

Don't know whether it would make a difference or not.

I'm in a similar position and won't spring for this fancy wiring for my 5.1 or 7.2 HT systems. I'm using the Mapleshade speaker wire for my center speaker only (office system) and for my 2 channel stereo system.

I have phoenix gold 12 ga, about 50 cents per foot

i have kimber 4pr, about 3 dollars per foot.

that's about 2.50$ difference per foot, or 4 times pricier.

When i compared them BLINDLY (i had my roomate change the cables), i can't pick which i like better. there is maybe a slightly different sound, or maybe just my mind hearing it slightly differently because i think the cable is changing. No where near 4 times better, and kimber has a 'good reputation' for making high quality products.

but why are we talking about this again?

Because its such a juicy subject. People views fall on exteme sides which always is subject to question.

Saturn

ps: I love Kimbers!!!!